CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 27, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		$ 143,403	$ 284,069
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(38,517)	(45,242)
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations		0	(60,442)
Real estate development costs		(1,745)	(3,314)
Purchase of timberlands		(88,466)	(93,189)
Change in restricted cash		(17,835)	47,318
Investment in Subsidiaries		0	0
Other		3,692	(478)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(142,871)	(155,347)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		379,027	1,295,163
Repayment of debt		(300,871)	(1,173,049)
Dividends paid	$ (63,200)	(94,280)	(225,877)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		1,322	4,645
Repurchase of common shares		(73,621)	(1,834)
Debt issuance costs		(1,678)	(12,380)
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business		0	(31,420)
Issuance of Intercompany Notes			0
Intercompany distributions		0	0
Other		0	(680)
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(90,101)	(145,432)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		(6,234)	(103)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		(95,803)	(16,813)
Balance, beginning of year		161,558	199,644
Balance, end of period		65,755	182,831
Rayonier Inc. (Parent Guarantor) [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		77,316	219,988
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		0	0
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations			0
Real estate development costs		0	0
Purchase of timberlands		0	0
Change in restricted cash		0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries		0	0
Other		0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		0	0
Repayment of debt		0	0
Dividends paid		(94,280)	(225,877)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		1,322	4,645
Repurchase of common shares		(73,621)	(1,834)
Debt issuance costs		0	0
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business			(31,420)
Issuance of Intercompany Notes			(11,400)
Intercompany distributions		0	0
Other			0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(166,579)	(265,886)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		(89,263)	(45,898)
Balance, beginning of year		102,218	130,181
Balance, end of period		12,955	84,283
ROC (Subsidiary Guarantor) [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		92,414	238,010
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(78)	(400)
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations			0
Real estate development costs		0	0
Purchase of timberlands		0	0
Change in restricted cash		0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries		(75,946)	855,014
Other		0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(76,024)	854,614
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		374,000	185,000
Repayment of debt		(294,472)	(1,002,500)
Dividends paid		0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		0	0
Repurchase of common shares		0	0
Debt issuance costs		(1,678)	0
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business			0
Issuance of Intercompany Notes			0
Intercompany distributions		(91,585)	(234,659)
Other			0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(13,735)	(1,052,159)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		2,655	40,465
Balance, beginning of year		8,105	11,023
Balance, end of period		10,760	51,488
Non-guarantors [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		64,901	57,801
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(38,439)	(44,842)
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations			(60,442)
Real estate development costs		(1,745)	(3,314)
Purchase of timberlands		(88,466)	(93,189)
Change in restricted cash		(17,835)	47,318
Investment in Subsidiaries		0	0
Other		3,692	(478)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(142,793)	(154,947)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		5,027	1,110,163
Repayment of debt		(6,399)	(170,549)
Dividends paid		0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		0	0
Repurchase of common shares		0	0
Debt issuance costs		0	(12,380)
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business			0
Issuance of Intercompany Notes			11,400
Intercompany distributions		76,303	(852,085)
Other			(680)
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		74,931	85,869
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		(6,234)	(103)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		(9,195)	(11,380)
Balance, beginning of year		51,235	58,440
Balance, end of period		42,040	47,060
Consolidation Adjustments [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		(91,228)	(231,730)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		0	0
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations			0
Real estate development costs		0	0
Purchase of timberlands		0	0
Change in restricted cash		0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries		75,946	(855,014)
Other		0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		75,946	(855,014)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		0	0
Repayment of debt		0	0
Dividends paid		0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		0	0
Repurchase of common shares		0	0
Debt issuance costs		0	0
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business			0
Issuance of Intercompany Notes			0
Intercompany distributions		15,282	1,086,744
Other			0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		15,282	1,086,744
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		0	0
Balance, beginning of year		0	0
Balance, end of period		$ 0	$ 0